As hoodlums and street thugs resurface across Kano, their criminal activities, like phone snatching and violent assaults, continue to endanger lives and properties as many residents now live in fear—paying the heavy price of insecurity.
However, amid the trying moment, hope is rising as some youths in Kano, under the Kano Tech Community platform, gathered on Saturday with the aim of developing a mechanism to eradicate the menace, especially phone snatching, thuggery, and unemployment, using technology in the state.
In an interview, Aisha Abdulganiyu revealed the significance of their gathering, where she revealed to Daily Episode how the insecurity is destabilising peace and halting business activities in Kana.
According to her, “As youth with technology skills, we gathered here today as changemakers to brainstorm on possible solutions to key issues bedevilling the country, especially Kano, where the activities of criminal elements are rapidly growing.
“We understand the significance of peacebuilding, especially at the community level. That’s why we gathered to see how we can deploy technology to foster peace and combat any security threat, especially phone snatching and thuggery.
“Bearing in mind that we are a team of youth who understand the negativity of crimes that are committed against citizens by our peer groups, or I should say youth, we will deploy all mechanisms to change the narrative by responding to these issues diligently as concerned citizens.
“Before now, the government has been putting in place policies to strengthen security in the state, but I think that’s not enough, as we are still battling with thugs and hooligans, which I think communities and stakeholders should be engaged in for proper solutions,” she added
Like Abdulganiyu, Nasir Muhammed Nasir, who led a group during sessions of the event, stated that as a group of techies who are developers, server security analysts, and motion graphics designers, to mention a few, they are technically solutions providers, and as such, it’s paramount they prioritize solving problems affecting larger society.
“Hence, we understand we already have vulnerability, to which we asked ourselves several questions about why we can’t utilise the skills we have in tackling issues like insecurity—phone snatching, to be precise, in Kano.
“We all know the issue is growing and has become a threat that must be curtailed or it will consume us, so the method we use in developing applications and other solutions will be utilized in a few days as we set to release documents from the ideas and solutions gathered from this event as policy documents.
“We are doing this with a purpose, as we are primarily setting out to eradicate not only phone snatching but also thuggery, unemployment, and drug abuse, which are fast spreading in Kano,” Nasir said.
However, Mubina Nafi’u, who is also an advocate for mental health, reiterated that solutions to the rising crimes are beyond stick and hard, but mental health awareness should be prioritised.
According to her, “Among the youth, many are battling with mental health, and only a few admit or believe it’s an issue, while the reverse is the case considering how it’s affecting livelihood.
“Because most times when experts analyse someone’s issue, counsel them on physical therapy, or use techniques deployed by social workers, then we will see the impact of mental health in curtailing the insecurity.
“Communities should prioritise engaging youths in sports and games; it also helps in peacebuilding with positive solutions to crimes.”
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